Chapter 23: Snitches

"Hey Mars!" James waved towards Marlene and she walked over despite her vow of not being near a particular Sirius Black. They were in the dark potions room showing Slughorn which potion they were going to do for their midterm project final. James had no doubt that he, Sirius and Eric Rivers were sure to win. Lily had pointed out sarcastically in class that they couldn't 'win' a midterm project but James had simply rolled his eyes at her. He turned to Marlene who was trailed by Peter and Dorcas. "What potion did you guys choose? We've got the best one."

"That James is a secret." Marlene winked showing Slughorn the potion name her group had chosen. Professor Slughorn smiled and noted it down. Marlene then shut her book firmly and stuff it into her bag.

"I'll just ask Peter." James announced looking at the boy behind Marlene proudly.

"No way-I've been bound to secrecy by Marlene- that and and the price of two dozen chocolate frogs." He told James making a show to zip his mouth.

"Betrayed by our own." James feigned hurt but Peter didn't budge. "Bugger."

Peter shrugged and went back to his conversation on ingredients with Dorcas.

"Oh come on Mars," James insisted following her around. "We'll find out anyways in class."

"Exactly." She said grinning and looking towards Sirius who in deep conversation with Eric about how they were going to split the potion. When he noticed Marlene he was immediately by James side. Dorcas muttered something into Marlene's ear and she shook her head, holding her head up.

"Hey James, let's get the rest of the ingredients-" Sirius began but Marlene was quick to interject. "Actually I just remembered the seeker trials are tonight, are you going to come and watch?"

This caught James interest and he looked towards her easily swayed by Quidditch- although not by the fact that she mad mentioned Quidditch so soon after he had failed to make the team. "I don't think so- and I'm not saying this because of what happened at the trials but because we-" he looked towards Eric and Sirius. "-need to start this project soon if we want to win."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "James you can't 'win' a project-"

"That's what she said." Eric said. Marlene turned to him, her eyes flashing. Sirius snickered and Marlene glared at him too before turning back to Eric Rivers.

"I meant- Lily, said the same thing in class." Eric finished. "And technically you can win a project if the project was graded on quality in this case however-"

"It isn't." Marlene finished briskly. "I got it."

Peter spoke suddenly. "Sirius weren't you saying that the person who catches the first snitch, gets a wish or something? I heard Coppin talking about in the common room too. Didn't you tell James we were going?"

"I heard about that!" Dorcas gasped looking at Peter. "Professor McGonagall said she caught it when the tradition first started!"

Now it was James's who turned to Sirius. "You were going to the trials?" James threw up his hands. "I thought you said you weren't going to go because you felt bad about not making the team!"

Sirius suddenly looked ashamed and Marlene spoke quickly. "What does it matter? Point being you should still go- there's always next year."

"Blondies right." Sirius said nodding in approval "We should go- it'll be fun."

Eric nodded. " My sister said the winning seeker at the trials throws it into the crowds during the trial so one of us can catch it. Last year Melinda Prescott caught it and her cousin is now seeker for the Ravenclaw team."

"I'm going to catch it." James decided at the same time as Marlene. They both looked at each other bewildered. Dorcas shared a knowing look with Peter both knowing what was going to happen next.

"You both can't catch it." Eric laughed shaking his head. "Good luck with that."

Marlene silenced him with one look and rounded on James. "You're going to catch the snitch? You're a chaser boy remember?"

"I could play Seeker if I wanted." James retorted. "Not sure I can say the same for you."

Sirius said patting James on the back affectionately. "Mate you're going to get it for sure don't let blondie bother you."

"Are you sure about that?" Marlene asked facing James and ignoring Sirius completely. "I remember kicking you off your broom when we first learned to fly. A snitch is nothing."

"I was distracted by a bug!" James said quickly with a quick look at Sirius and Eric who were watching the pair of them apprehensively. "I'll definitely catch it."

Sirius nodded in agreement patting his mate in the back. "He will."

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Marlene smirked her arms folded glaring at Sirius.

And so as the evening of the trials neared no one could be heard talking about anything else. There was a grateful breeze that spread throughout the Great Hall that put everyone in a good mood. Even the looming doom of midterms wasn't enough to dampen James's smile and the skip in Peter's step that morning.

"You really think you can get the snitch before everyone else?" Peter asked a bit worried. "I mean it would be embarrassing to lose to a girl."

"Yes." James said a bit too quickly. "Sorry Peter I'm just-" James frowned. What was he? He could do it. He wasn't scared of losing. He had just lost a trial but he could definitely catch a snitch right? Just because he lost a trial and didn't make the team didn't mean that he wasn't meant to be a Quidditch player right? And he definitely wasn't scared of Marlene- even though she could probably catch the snitch faster than him, not that he would admit it to Sirius and the rest of the Marauders.

"It's all good." Peter smiled. "Well we should head down. It's starting soon."

James nodded- but he felt his stomach being tied into knots like before at the trail. He took a deep breathe and muttered quietly, repeatedly. "I am not a loser. I can win. I am not a loser. I can win..."

When he walked out onto the pitch all James could be reminded of was how he had lost on these very grounds. For the first time in his life he hadn't gotten what he had wanted. For the first time James Potter had experienced failure.

"You alright, mate?" Sirius asked catching up to the pair patting James on the back. "Don't worry about blondie- she won't catch that snitch before you. There's just no way."

"Not to mention losing to a girl would be embarrassing." Peter added again.

"I know." James said frustrated "I got this. Marlene's got nothing on me."

Sirius grinned throwing his arms around Peter and James. "That's the James we know."

But when the trials began James could only see a Quaffle. He thought back to the trial and how he could have done so much better. If he had been faster he could have seen that Nufher was heading right for him and was going to grab the Quaffle from him. And if he had paid attention to what was behind him maybe he could have had better aim with the Quaffle...

"I bet you 5 knuts it's going to be Hernandez!" Peter was back to arguing with Sirius who shook his head. "It's definitely going to be Aurora. She can do the Wronski feint and the loping wheel perfectly!"

Colton Breckbridge had purposefully left the seeker trials for later and although James would have rather not watched anything to do with Quidditch after failing to get a spot on the team, he only came to show Marlene and the others that he wasn't a failure.

James stood up suddenly. He knew what he needed to do and without a care for the snitch he marched down the steps and towards Colton who was squinting up at the seekers.

"Colton." James said clearly gathering the older boys attention.

He looked down and nodded. "James- what can I d-"

"Why didn't I get a place on the team?" James asked without a second of hesitation. He wasn't scared to know. He wanted to know what he had done wrong, what he had to do, what he would do to get on the team...

"James.." Colton started uncertainly. "Now's not the best time- OYE SANTOS HANDS OF OFF HER." this was directed towards one of the burlier boys who was attempting to terrify a smaller looking players.

"Please just tell me." James said shutting his eyes. "I just need to know."

Colton bent down to Jame's height. "Look kid, your skills are good- better than a lot of 2nd years I've seen but-" He looked away. "We need a team player,James. And what I saw you do wasn't being a team player."

James nodded not registering everything Colton had said. "Oh okay. Yeah sure..."

"James-" Colton said. "You understand why I couldn't right?"

James nodded and walked back to the stands as fast as he could, grinning. Colton had said he was a good player!

"James!" Marlene attacked him with a hug. "Where were you? I was looking around everywhere- what happened?"

James looked up bewildered. "What do you mean?"

"You're smiling." Marlene pointed out grinning. "What happened- tell me James Potter!"

"He probably saw Lily." Peter supplied hiding a smile.

"Lily Evans?" Marlene looked confused. "Hold up like the girl in my dorm Lily Evans? You-"

"You know it should be me out there." James said firmly looking as Aurora Fenwick did a 360 wonski feint turning the other way, pursuing the snitch before the others could realize. And then Mike Hernandez was plowing behind her, trailing her every move.

Marlene shrugged next to him. "They don't know what they've missed. There's always next year James."

"I know." James said grinning. Colton had said he was a good player and that was all he needed...

"NOOOO!" Sirius screamed as Aurora Fenwick hit the ground and Mike Hernandez grabbed the snitch, holding it proudly in the air.

"It's just a trial, Sirius." James told his friend who was getting too emotional that the person he was rooting for had lost.

"You don't understand!" Sirius looked down at his hands. "I owe Peter my Salazar card."

James understood and he patted Sirius on the back comfortingly. Marlene clicked her tongue, "You should know better than to lose, Black."

Sirius looked up at her. "I should know better."

Marlene rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more. James looked between them. "Am I missing something?"

But before any one of them could answer Mike Hernandez threw the snitch. James marveled at the tiny thing as it hit the light and shimmered slightly in the air. He didn't care about the snitch- he was a chaser, and he was going to be a chaser. But Marlene had different ideas. She raised her brows at James and James shrugged lightly to know the snitch was all hers. She grinned and ran blindly after the snitch jumping over the stands and angry onlookers.

"JAMES WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Sirius asked looking towards Marlene who was frantically running. "SHE'S RUNNING AFTER THE BLOODY SNITCH- GO GET IT!"

James just shrugged and turned to Peter. "I'm letting her take it. Hey, do you know what Colton told me?"

Peter shook his head, innocently.

James continued. "Well he said that I was a fantastic player and that I would have been on the team but-"

Peter let out a woah and James looked to where someone had caught the snitch. No- not someone but someone's. Sirius and Marlene were both glaring at each other, each holding one of the desperately trying to get free wings of the golden snitch between them.

"Well as I live and breathe." Eric said panting hard to where a small crowd began to form aruond Marlene and Sirius. "I guess two people really can get the snitch."

"Move over!" A first year Hufflepuff said pushing James and Peter to the side. "I need a picture of this!"

With a bright flash he had taken the picture and was running towards Marlene and Sirius. Sirius looked back and grinned at James obviously enjoying the attention.

"We can't let him have all the fun now, can we Peter?" James asked messing his hair and joining Sirius- where a bunch of ogling onlookers were admiring the snitch between Marlene and Sirius.

"And what would you like to tell out viewers about your experience?" the first year asked eagerly, a parchment and quill ready at hand.

Marlene pulled the snitch towards herself. "Well I'd say I touched it first therefore it's my win."

"I beg to differ Blondie." Sirius smirked pulling the snitch towards himself. "I was the first one to touch it- you ran after me when you saw me going towards it."

"Oh I followed you?" Marlene rolled her eyes. "I was here first- you were the one who came after me!"

"James?" They both turned to him, demanding him to tell everyone they were right.

James shrugged and pushed Peter to the front. "Pete saw everything!"

"So Blondie you say you've known James for quite a while huh?" Sirius asked later that evening. James had ended up taking the snitch from Sirius and Marlene who hadn't stopped bickering over who had actually gotten the snitch first. Instead they took turns throwing the snitch back and forth across the common room. Dorcas and Peter were in the corner- Peter recounting to a group of onlookers his amazing interview by the pitch.

"Marlene," Marlene gritted her teeth "and yes I have."

Sirius folded his arms. "Alright, what's James' favorite color then?"

"Red." Marlene answered automatically.

"His favorite Quidditch team?"

"The Silver Daggers." She answered with the same speed.

"What color are his underpants right now?"

What type of question was that? James turned his head to Sirius, his expression one of utter anger- yet a slightly be-wilderness at his audacity.

"Blue with red Quaffles." Marlene said smirking and halting Sirius's haughty expression. Dorcas suddenly let out a surprised laugh and James turned bright red.

"Wrong." Sirius said suddenly. "They're green lightening bolts on them."

"I don't think so." Marlene said quickly folding her arms. "James wouldn't be caught dead in green, he despises any color associated with Slytherin." She looked towards James as if to say right?

"Wanna bet Blondie?" Sirius asked and before James could move-because he knew or had a vague idea of what Sirius was going to do, Sirius had pointed his wands at James, whose pants fell down indeed revealing blue boxers with red quaffles.

Lily chose this exact moment to walk in with Mary, both staring at the scene in front of them with confusion. Lily glared at Marlene who was laughing. Mary let out a loud laugh while Lily hastily looked away and was prodding Mary to do the same.

"It's Marlene. And you were saying?" Marlene asked folding her arms and staring boldly at Sirius as James hastily pulled up his pants, turning beet red.

"How- how are you doing ladies?" James asked messing up his hair nervously and looking towards them. Lily just turned on her heel and walked away, James could still hear Mary MacDonals laughing as they left.

"Thanks a lot mate." James muttered burying his face in a pillow.

Marlene smirked at Sirius. "How does it feel like to lose again Black?"

"Actually blondie I don't lose."

"And my name is Marlene." Marlene repeated. "James stop being a wimp. We took showers together when were little- I've see everything there is to see. Dorcas, let's go." James sighed as Marlene threw that fact out into the open. Sirius snickered. Marlene looked back suddenly and leaned close to Sirius whispering into his ear. "And Black I definitely caught it first."